In the midst of COVID-19, Jakarta Government through Public Housing and Settlement Areas (PRKP) Agency ensured that it wouldn't forcibly evict the occupants of simple rental public housing (Rusunawa) who couldn't pay the rent.

Jakarta PRKP Agency's Guidance, Control, and Community Participation Section Head, Meli Budiastuti stated that most of Rusunawa occupants are informal workers whose incomes are affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

"Many Rusunawa occupants who work in informal sector. COVID-19 pandemic and Large-scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) implementation surely affects their income to decline," she mentioned, Monday (5/4).

According to her, PRKP Agency keeps collecting rent to the occupants until May 2020 while waiting for further policy related to rental dispensation during PSBB period that has been set out in Gubernatorial Regulation (Pergub) No. 188/2015 concerning Procedures for Providing Relief, Reduction, and Levy Exemption.

"We will not force occupants to vacate the unit as directed by the leader, moreover evicting takes time and can only be done through a long procedures. Thus administrative sanction is imposed without forcibly evicting the occupants, especially those affected by COVID-19," she explained.

Based on Pergub No. 111/2014 concerning the Rusunawa's Housing Mechanism, occupants who don't pay the rent rate for the three consecutive months will be given administrative sanctions.

"Administrative sanction is given maximum one month," she added.

If the occupants in rent arrears since January or previous month, she continued, then the sanctioned imposed is only limited to administrative sanctions.

"Once again, we will not forcibly evict the occupants who failed to pay the rent during the COVID-19 pandemic. We understand their difficulties, but we also hope other occupants who are able to pay the rent for paying on time," she closed.